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The Fall of Disney’s Fan-Favorite ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Ride

Fans have noticed a drop in quality on one of Disneyland Resort’s most beloved attractions, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

It’s been over seven years since Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! first launched at Disney California Adventure on May 27, 2017, transforming what was once the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into a high-energy Marvel thrill ride.

Mission Breakout against a blue sky
Credit: Disney

What is Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!?

While the Tower of Terror’s drop tower structure remained, everything else was reimagined to fit the chaotic, intergalactic world of the Guardians. The story follows Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) as he attempts to break his team out of the Collector’s fortress, a towering alien museum filled with rare artifacts—including the captured Guardians themselves.

The ride marked Disney’s first full-scale attraction based on the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, blending humor, action, and a retro soundtrack to bring the characters to life. Multiple actors reprised their roles for the ride, including Chris Pratt (who plays Peter Quill/Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), and Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer). Even Marvel legend Stan Lee made a cameo.

Groot in front of Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! sign at Disney California Adventure Park
Credit: Disney

Unlike its eerie predecessor, Mission: BREAKOUT! leans into unpredictability with six randomized drop sequences, each synced to a different rock classic like “Born to Be Wild” or “I Want You Back.” Guests are thrown into Rocket’s daring escape plan, experiencing sudden free falls, explosive visuals, and a fast-paced storyline that keeps the adrenaline pumping.

Come Halloween, the ride also takes on a spookier overlay after nightfall. Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark takes place after the events of the OG ride, with the Guardians having accidentally left Groot behind after escaping, forcing Rocket to attempt a rescue – using riders as a distraction for prowling monsters in the meantime.

What’s Happened to Mission: BREAKOUT!?

When it first opened, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! had the honor of being Disney California Adventure Park’s first Marvel attraction. Today, of course, it has all of Avengers Campus (which will soon receive two more superhero-inspired rides). However, much like the area at large, fans have made their fair share of complaints about Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! recently.

Cosmo the Spacedog in the queue for Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
Credit: Disney

As noted on Reddit, the ride very rarely has all of its loading shafts lately. “They have had at least [one] loading shaft closed almost every single time I’ve gone on it in the past 6 months,” one user complained.

Others have similar complaints about the lack of functional shafts.

“I was there last weekend and they only had one of the shafts working,” another user wrote. “Even with Lightning Lane it took an hour to get on. It should’ve had all four working.” (Worth noting is that the ride actually has just the three shafts, but the point still stands).

Eight guests screaming on Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
Credit: Disney

Another common complaint is the issues with the ride’s Rocket animatronics. Typically, this plays a key role in welcoming guests to the ride. Lately, however, the animatronic seems to be proving temperamental. “When I was there last week they were only operating two of the shafts, and then one went down on Friday morning. Rocket wasn’t working on either side,” claimed one parkgoer.

Addressing an upcoming refurbishment scheduled for the ride, another user added, “Maybe instead of fixing one shaft at a time and leaving Rocket on B mode maybe they’ll go in and give it some TLC.”

Have you noticed issues on Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! lately?

Chloe James

Chloë is a theme park addict and self-proclaimed novelty hunter. She's obsessed with all things Star Wars, loves roller coasters (but hates Pixar Pal-A-Round), and lives for Disney's next Muppets project.

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